"SimCity is a game about endless choices," says lead designer Stone Librande. "Ultimately, you can do whatever you want."

While that isn't entirely true -- you can't play offline -- at least we can get a sense of how the fifth iteration of the city management game works in a nine-minute clip released today by Maxis and EA.

The video shows how the game plays essentially from the beginning as Librande creates a casino-themed city from scratch. Seasoned SimCity 4 players may notice vast differences in the user interface, which seems easier to navigate while simultaneously adding a slew of new options.

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The upcoming fifth iteration of SimCity, due for February 2013, does share similarities with versions past, but you truly get a sense of just how different the game appears with this game play preview. Maxis basically vastly touched up every single aspect of the game, ranging from construction and Sim animations to resource management.

For example, pipe networks no longer exist (and instead go through roads); players can tap natural underground aquifers; and ground pollution can make your town sick. Placing a wind power plant results in the usual options, but aspiring architects can improve the installation's output by adding modules (such as extra wind turbines). You may notice further enhancements in the video. Which stand out to you the most?

About the author

Crave contributor Christopher MacManus regularly spends his time exploring the latest in science, gaming, and geek culture -- aiming to provide a fun and informative look at some of the most marvelous subjects from around the world.
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